Fun fact: most assault rifles are actually far LESS lethal than the average hunting rifle. As a matter of fact, when you boil it all down, all an "assault rifle" really is is a semi-automatic rifle with a few minor tactical design changes. The ammunition fired through "assault rifles" are typically either 5.56 or 7.62. Compare that to most semi-auto hunting rifles. 30-06, .300, .50, etc. Hunting rifles are not only more accurate than most "assault rifles". They also employ far more powerful and lethal ammunition.
The only real advantage to having an "assault rifle" over a good hunting rifle, shotgun, or even a handgun when it comes destruction in a crowd would be full auto. However, full auto guns are very hard to come by. Homemade full-auto conversions rarely actually work, and often actually harm the shooter. The law allows for ownership of a fully automatic gun, but with several restrictions. The only full-auto guns allowed for civilian ownership are produced before 1986. The least expensive full-autos are guns in the mac10/mac11 family. Even a mac11 (9mm) costs upwards of $3500 nowadays. In order to buy such a gun, you first must find one. Then you must apply for a class 3 firearms liscense. The application process takes several months, is very strict, and costs $120 iirc.
The bottom line is that a full auto is actually pointless and inneffective, EXCEPT for situations like this. But in all reality, what psycho could afford $3500-4500 AND pass a full background check AND obtain a liscense AND wait upwards of 6months, all to perpetrate their crime with a glorified 600rpm handgun that fires 9mm and has almost zero accuracy?
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